Lakers

JOHANNESBURG >> The NBA put on a show in its first exhibition game in Africa on Saturday — starting with a dunk straight from the tip-off by Luc Mbah a Moute. That had the crowd roaring early at Ellis Park Arena in downtown Johannesburg.

The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — LeBron James is setting his sights beyond the basketball court. The NBA star and his company, SpringHill Entertainment, have signed a content creation deal with Warner Bros.

There isn’t a better place to craft a rebirth than under the bright lights of Hollywood, which is why Roy Hibbert and the Lakers could turn out to be a match made in basketball heaven. In a town where redemption for any A-lister’s flop is always just the right script and right director away, Hibbert is in the perfect place to get back on his feet.

DeAndre Jordan sat on the dais Tuesday inside the Chick Hearn Press Room at Staples Center. Surrounded by Clippers coach Doc Rivers, some new teammates and an existing one, Jordan had a lot to answer for since changing his mind and leaving the Dallas Mavericks and owner Mark Cuban in the lurch.

The Los Angeles Clippers had to have hated what Josh Smith did to them in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. He scored 14 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the Houston Rockets overcome a 19-point late third-quarter deficit to shock the Clippers 119-107 on May 14 at Staples Center.

The Clippers have signed forward Branden Dawson, who was acquired in a draft night trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. Dawson was picked 56th overall by the Pelicans last month. The 22-year-old forward averaged 12.

The Clippers on Monday announced they have re-signed guard Austin Rivers to a two-year contract and signed center Cole Aldrich to a one-year contract with a player option for a second year. The team last week re-signed center DeAndre Jordan and signed small forwards Paul Pierce and Wesley Johnson.

LAS VEGAS >> For once, Lakers coach Byron Scott watched his team attentively without determining rotations. That job belonged to Lakers assistant Mark Madsen, who served as the summer league team’s head coach beginning with a 81-68 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

LAS VEGAS >> As initial steps go, this was a doozy. Gathered on one stage just off the Las Vegas strip you had the next Lakers superstar making his professional debut, a matchup between the first two overall picks in the NBA draft, the long-awaited return of Julius Randle and the first glimpse of the talented backcourt the Lakers hope will lead them to their next dominant era.

LAS VEGAS >> No one appeared able to stop Philadelphia center Jahlil Okafor as he moved into the paint with unmatched footwork. But out of nowhere, Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. swatted his shot away twice in the Lakers’ 68-60 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in summer league play on Saturday, leaving the mostly partisan fans at Thomas & Mack Center marveling at the feat.

Doc Rivers gave a quick answer when asked about DeAndre Jordan coming back to the Los Angeles Clippers. “He never left,” the coach said. Technically, that’s true. The Dallas Mavericks might disagree as they reel from the fallout of Jordan’s Texas two-step, which renewed the debate about when a deal is a deal, and whether change is needed to the NBA’s moratorium period.

One day after a surreal Wednesday that saw Clippers coach Doc Rivers join owner Steve Ballmer and several Clippers players rush to Houston to get center DeAndre Jordan to change his mind about leaving to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, Rivers shared some of the events that transpired.

The NBA Summer League once helped NBA executives negotiate deals, unnoticed players land jobs and reporters cultivate and strengthen sources. But once the play begins Friday in Las Vegas, the significance surrounding the Lakers’ squad will represent something greater: How the Lakers’ play could influence how the real season turns out six months later.

Lakers beat writer Mark Medina takes questions from basketball fans about the team’s offseason, free agency failures and preparations for Summer League. Also, are the Lakers more likely to win another NBA title before the Clippers win their first? Viewing on mobile?

DeAndre Jordan on Wednesday night broke a lot of hearts, all of them in Dallas. Probably ticked off a few people there, too, most notably Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Jordan, a free-agent center who verbally had agreed to sign a contract with the Dallas Mavericks, reneged and re-signed with the Clippers.

The obstacles Robert Upshaw faced once he stepped on the Lakers’ practice court seemed far more serious than usual rookie hiccups. Once Upshaw begins summer league play with the Lakers on Friday in Las Vegas, he will have to prove worthy of latching onto an NBA team after he struggled to stay on two collegiate programs.

Are the pitchforks back in the shed yet? Is Mitch Kupchak allowed back in public? Does Jim Buss still have his job? Are the Lakers still in the NBA, or have they been relegated to the second-division D-League? Sheesh, calm down people.

The Lakers have made some quality base hits since whiffing on the top targets that defined their free-agent sweepstakes. Lou Williams agreed to a three-year, $21 million deal on Sunday to join the Lakers, a move that shores up their backcourt depth and provides more secondary scoring.

The Lakers officially missed out on their top free-agent target, sending a prideful organization into another summer tailspin. LaMarcus Aldridge agreed to a four-year deal worth $80 million with San Antonio on Saturday, according to an NBA source, giving Kobe Bryant even more reason to view the Spurs with envy for their endless continuity.

NBA sources have confirmed to this newspaper that center DeAndre Jordan is leaving the Clippers after agreeing to sign a four-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Multiple reports indicate the contract will be worth more than $80 million and that it includes a player option after the third year.

Dwyane Wade is staying with the Miami Heat. Wade informed the Heat on Thursday that he will accept their one-year offer to re-sign for $20 million for next season, said a person familiar with the negotiations.

The Lakers started their day doing more than hitting the ground running, taking a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. to meet a coveted free agent. The Lakers ended their day with uncertainty if they will land one.

After spending countless months scouting games, evaluating workouts and interviewing draft prospects, the Lakers’ quest to get back to championship glory took place in another setting. The Lakers visited with Portland center

With NBA free agency set to start at 9:01 p.m., Tuesday, June 30, 2015, get live updates from Lakers beat writer Mark Medina and other team insiders about the latest news and rumors regarding the team and any potential free agent signing.